Ogun state executive council of the Labour Party (LP) on Thursday, December 1 expelled the Director-General of Peter Obi-Datti presidential campaign council, Dr. Doyin Okupe, and 11 others for refusing to pay their membership dues.

The Vanguard newspaper reports that the party leaders in the southwest state made the pronouncement after a meeting in Abeokuta. According to them, the action Okupe and 11 others was a violation to the party’s constitution.

Those that were expelled alongside with Okupe included Abayomi Collins, Hon. Abel Olaleye, Jagun Lookman, Olori Oluwabukola Soyoye, Mr. Gbadebo Fesomade, (former state treasurer) and Mr. Abdulmalik Olaleye (former state youth leader). Others are Mr. Jide Amusan (former state publicity secretary) Mr. Adeshina Wasiu Shojobi (former assistant state youth leader), Miss Deborah Adewale, (former senatorial women leader Ogun East) and Mr. Olatunde Abolade (former assistant state secretary).

The state chairman; Michael Ashade and Feyisola Michael; state secretary, alleged that Okupe and others had refused to pay their membership dues, despite repeated reminder that they should validate their membership updating their financial status. He asked Okupe to provide evidence of any payment in respect of membership dues prior to December 1, 2022 into any bank account of the LP.

He asked the National Chairman of the party, Barr. Julius Abure and the party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, to obey the party’s Constitution relieving Okupe of his position as DG of the party’s presidential campaign council immediately. According to them, the DG of the party’s campaign council should come from the north to reflect federal character and political balance. He said: “Article 9(3) iii of our party’s constitution states as follows: ‘only members who pay their monthly membership dues at rates prescribed shall be deemed to be bonafide members of the party. Arrears of dues of up to six months shall lead to forfeiture of membership.’’

“Despite repeated demand from various meetings I had with Dr. Doyin Okupe in respect of his mandatory constitutional requirements to fulfill membership status, he has failed woefully in this regards with some others to flagrantly disobey the Constitution of Labour Party. “In line with article 19(3) of the Labour Party constitutional provision, we declare that Dr. Doyin Okupe, having failed in the payment of his membership dues for the last six months of joining the party, has forfeited his membership of the party and no longer fit and competent to continue to act as the DG of the Presidential Campaign Council.

“We herenotify our National Chairman, Bar Julius Abure and Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, that it’s expedient to obey the Constitution of the party immediately appoint another DG for the PCC and that should come from the North to reflect Federal Characters and political balance.”